Surgical procedures such as ileostomies, colostomies, and urostomies, frequently require that a portion of a patient's intestinal tract be diverted through an incision made in the skin of the abdominal area, thereby becoming a stoma. Typically, a collection pouch or similar appliance is adhered to the patient's skin immediately surrounding the stoma in order to collect waste materials which are discharged from the stoma at irregular and uncontrollable intervals. As such, it is important for such collection pouches to be continuously worn, for example, even while the patient is sleeping.
Various types of collection pouches and appliances are available to people with stomas. For example, one such device consists of a stoma face plate that is adhered to the skin immediately surrounding the stoma. A separate collection pouch is adapted to interlock with the face plate in order to provide a removable collection pouch with a leak-proof seal. One objective of this type of device is to provide an appliance that does not require a person to frequently affix and then remove an adhesive member to his skin. Another objective of such a device is to provide a locking mechanism between the face plate and the collection pouch that requires very little external pressure to achieve complete engagement or disengagement between the face plate and the collection pouch. As such, this device succeeds in raising the relative comfort level of a person with a stoma in that it is not necessary for the person to frequently apply strong pressure to the stoma or skin immediately surrounding the stoma.
However, one significant drawback to current stoma appliances is that, while care has been taken to reduced the amount of regular external force applied to the stoma area, very little has been done to prevent excessive force caused by unpredictable external events, such as one's rolling over while asleep, the inadvertent impact of a table corner while walking, or the wearing of an automotive restraint belt, and so forth. As a stoma has relatively few nerve endings, a stoma subjected to such excess external forces may not feel as though it has been damaged. Consequently, a person with a stoma whom inadvertently experiences excess force to the stoma area may not be aware than an injury has occurred. This frequently results in heavy bleeding for some time before the person becomes aware that he has an injury. Clearly, such situations can be embarrassing and potentially quite harmful.
There is a strong need, therefore, for a device that cooperates with existing stoma appliances and aids in protecting the sensitive and tender area of the stoma from excessive external force. Such a needed device would allow the normal operation of the collection pouch and would not be visually obtrusive, thereby resulting in a more secure feeling for the user of such a device. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.